I’m not a fan of workouts or any drills but when I participate in the Freihofer or Troy Turkey Trot Training Challenge, on Monday nights, coach Patrick has us do drills. Why? To run a faster 5k or 10k.

I always protest and he knows that, plus sometimes they come the day after my legs have been tired out from a long run or half marathon.

However, begrudgingly I do them.

The result: the first year (2014-5), I PRed at every distance.

So here’s some of the speed drills that we do:

1. One minute strides (5 of them)

These are my favorites. After a warm up, you run as fast as you can for one minute. Then recover. As Patrick says, “You can do anything for one minute.”

2. 400 m @ 5k pace followed by 200m recovery (4-6 of them)

It’s hard to not to run these fast but you realize that you can’t halfway through the first set and then you slow down to a 5k pace (which is still fast.)

3. Hill Repeats. Incline for at least 200m.

there is a long hill in this park…but I didn’t get a picture on it.

4. 800 m @ 5k pace followed by 400 m recovery. (4-6 of them)

These are my least favorite. 800 m running fast seems like forever.

5. Race a 5k.

This one is not recommended but it’s the one I enjoy the most. Even if it is a fun run, I always try to run well and for me, it’s the best speed drill.

I love speed work (like Judy above, anything 800 and below!) – I like being able to cover a good distance at a fast pace – somehow it feels better than trying to run at a consistently fast pace on a regular run. I’ve not done tempo runs because they overwhelm me!

Not a fan of speedwork (or hill repeats) but occasionally I will run as as fast as I can down one street on my route – it’s about .12 miles, so obviously not a long distance, but it is something, right? 🙂

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My Favorite Quotes

“The miracle isn’t that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start.” ~ John Bingham

“Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever.” ~ Lance Armstrong

"In running, it doesn't matter if you come in first, in the middle of the pack, or last. You can say 'I have finished.' There is a lot of satisfaction in that." ~ Fred LeBow

“There is no better feeling in the world than to take your mind and body to a place you thought it couldn’t go; a place you thought it didn’t belong. You should all try it sometime.” ~ Shauna Reid

“Run when you can, walk if you have to, crawl if you must, just never give up.” ~ Dean Karnazes

"I've given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement." ~ Steve Prefontaine

"From the moment you cross the start line, you know that crossing the finish line will be one of the best moments of your life." ~ Author Unknown

"You have a choice, you can throw in the towel, or you can use it to wipe the sweat off of your face." ~ Gatorade 3

"There is no failure in running, or in life, as long as you keep moving." ~ Amby Burfoot

"If you run, you are a runner. It doesn’t matter how fast or how far. It doesn’t matter if today is your first day or if you’ve been running for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run." ~ John Bingham

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